Lieut.-Colonel A. F. A. N. Thorne, D.S.O. Commanding Officer. Lieut. K. Henderson Acting Adjutant. 2nd Lieut. L. Holbech Intelligence Officer. Lieut. E. R. M. Fryer No. 1 Company. Lieut. F. J. Siltzer ” ” 2nd Lieut. A. G. Elliott ” ” Capt. the Hon. F. O. H. Eaton No. 2 Company. Lieut. F. W. R. Greenhill ” ” Lieut. J. F. Worsley ” ” Capt. W. W. S. C. Neville, M.C. No. 3 Company. 2nd Lieut. the Hon. A. M. Borthwick ” ” 2nd Lieut. B. J. Dunlop ” ” Lieut. F. J. Heasman No. 4 Company. 2nd Lieut. C. W. Carrington ” ” _Attached_――Capt. G. W. East, R.A.M.C. The whole Brigade took up its battle positions without any difficulty: the two leading Battalions each placed two companies less two platoons on the farther bank, and left two platoons as moppers-up on the western bank. The shelling of the Canal by the German artillery never ceased for a moment, and caused a good many casualties. The attack was timed to start at 3.50 A.M., but in order to conform with the creeping barrage the actual advance of the Brigade did not take place till twenty minutes later. The leading Battalions advanced behind the creeping barrage in four waves, with an interval of over 100 yards between each wave. The attack was assisted by a machine-gun barrage: eight guns from the Divisional Machine-Gun Company were detailed for this work, as well as the 4th Guards and the 29th Machine-Gun Companies. Both by the attacking troops, and by prisoners who were subsequently taken in the advance, this barrage was reported to have been most effective. The attack was completely successful, and the first objective or Blue line was secured at 4.30 A.M., but there was naturally a considerable number of casualties, especially on the right, where the Scots Guards were exposed to enfilade fire. The 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards waited in its trenches until 5 A.M., by which time it was light; and although the enemy continued with all the German thoroughness to shell the Canal itself, it never seems to have occurred to him to put barrages down farther back. This was undoubtedly a bad mistake on his part.